Carton



Dec. 6, 1938. E. MANDUSKY I 2,139,127

CARTON Filed June 30, 1937 INVENTOR EDWIN MA/VDUS/(Y ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 6, 1938 CARTON Edwin Mandusky, Orange, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware 3 Claims.

My invention relates to containers or cartons for protecting fragile articles, such as electron discharge devices, radio tubes and cathode ray tubes, from injury and shock during shipment and handling.

A common method of protecting fragile articles during shipment is to support the article in the box upon two or more transverse platforms apertured to receive the article, the edges of the platforms being fastened to the inner walls of the box. Such a carton is costly to make, assemble and pack, and is impractical for packing large and heavy radio tubes since the supporting platforms to be sufficiently rigid to support the tube from the sides of the box are usually so stiff as to transmit damaging shocks to the tube.

' It is an object of my invention to make a container for an electron discharge device that will firmly, yet resiliently, secure thedevice in the container so that shocks cannot betransmitted to the device.

A further object of my invention is to make a container that is easy to assemble, pack and seal, that is mechanically strong and inexpensive to manufacture.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, and one embodiment of the invention itself is described in the following specification and in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is an exploded view of my improved carton, and 7 Figure 2 is a sectioned perspective view of my improved carton.

The particular carton shown in the drawing is constructed for housing the electron discharge device commonly known as a cathode ray tube comprising a cylindrical glass neck portion I containing the electrodes of an electron gun, and a conical glass bulb portion 2. Tubular box 3 of conventional construction with rectangular sides and end flaps 4 receives'the cathode ray tube which issupported resiliently, yet firmly, centrally within the box.

The neck of the cathode raytube is engaged near its junction with the conical portion of the envelope by a. sleeve 5 preferably of relatively heavy fiber or cardboard. Sleeve 5 is centrally positioned within the box by straps or tie members 6 which are sufiiciently stiff to act as braces extending from the end of the sleeve to the upper end of the box where the straps are fastened, preferably by staples 1, to the flaps of the box. The

% straps'may, if desired, be folded back and over Application June 30, 1937, Serial N0..151,085

the, outer surface of the flaps. Sleeve 5 and its straps 6 form, when in the stapled position shown,

a funnel shaped receptacle into which the small end of the cathode ray tube may be inserted, bringing the conical portion of the tube envelope 5 into engagement with the straps, the straps 'preferably being secured at such an angle with the center line of the box as to be substantially parallel to the contiguous sides of the conical envelope portion.

The upper end of the box may then be closed by folding flaps 4 inwardly and gluing or stapling them in place, it being preferable to insert a block 8 of gauze or sponge rubber or felt between the large end of. the envelope and the in-turned 15 flaps.

It has been found that when sleeve 5 and its straps 6 are made of relatively stiff fiber, the sleeve is resiliently secured centrally in the box and serves as a firm, yet slightly yieldable, cradle 20 for the tube and efiectivelyholds the small end of the cathode ray tube containing fragile electrodes from the sides of the box regardless of the position of the box. A blow upon any side of the box merely swings the base of the tube a 25 short distance, placing a tensional strain in one of the straps and a corresponding compressional strain in the opposite strap.

The cathode ray tube may, if desired, be wrapped in a thin layer of packing felt 9 before 30 it is inserted in its cradle to take up variations in diameter of the tube and the sleeve 5. Further, the straps may be shortened and effectively stiffened for the heavier types of tubes merely by inserting staples through the side of the box and 35 the straps inwardly from the end of the box.

The flaps at the opposite or lower end of the box may be turned inwardly to close the end of the box in the same manner flaps 4 are secured in place. If, however, it is desired the carton 40 be shipped in an upright position a broad base or footing may be provided at the lower end of the container by outwardly turning the flaps at the lower end and securing them, according to a further feature of my invention, to a large rec- 45 tangular board or plate I0 held flat against the end of the box. v

A container constructed according to my invention firmly, yet resiliently, secures the device to be packed from the walls of the carton. My im- 50 proved container is easy to assemble, pack and seal, and is mechanically strong and inexpensive to manufacture.

I claim 1. A container for an electron discharge device 56 having an envelope with a cylindrical neck portion and a coaxial conical bulb portion, comprising a tubular box with rectangular sides and flaps on the ends of each side, means for resiliently centering said device in said box comprising a tubular sleeve with rectangular sides frictionally engaging the neck portion of the envelope, and a strap extending from one end of each of said sides of said sleeve, each strapbeing secured to one flap at one end of the box to form a cone shaped cradle for engaging the conical bulb portion of the tube.

2. A carton for a cathode ray device comprising a tubular box with rectangular sides and inturned flaps at one end of the box, relatively stifl straps, a sleeve within said box and joined at one end by said straps to said in-turned flaps, a

plate, out-turned flaps at the other end of said box, said flaps being attached to said plate to secure the plate to the end of the box in a plane perpendicular to the center line of the box.

3. A container for a cathode ray device comprising a tubular box with rectangular sides and flaps at one end of the box on the end of each side, means for resiliently supporting said device in said box comprising a tubular sleeve with rectangular sides, a strap of relatively stifl' material 10 extending from one end of each of said sides of the sleeve, each strap being secured to the middle portion of one of said flaps to form a truncated cone terminated at its small end with said sleeve for engaging-the bulbular portion of said device. 15

EDWIN MANDUSKY. 

